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Sunday, 9 June 2013

NBN: The Coalition Policy Dud

As the first cab off the policy-rank, we, as voters, might have expected a cracker, a well researched and unimpeachable policy, from the Coalition and their tech supremo & one-time leader, Malcolm Turnbull.

What we got has more holes than a mosquito net, but more importantly, since its release the LNP (Liberal/National Parties) has not addressed serious defects and omissions, not updated their projections when better data has been released by NBN Co to its standing oversight committee, not released critical cost breakdowns nor answered fundamental questions, despite many requests to clarify. Turnbull did release a 22-point "FAQ": content-free and irrelevant is how it appeared to me.

Even if people have turned-off the NBN argument, it's not ever been a debate, or made up their minds on which version what they want, if at all, the behaviour of the LNP leaders should give serious cause for concern and reflection:

There is a pattern of intentional behaviour breathtaking in scope and degree that leaves well behind the Howard era's systemic and systematic redefinition & reversal of political speech and undertakings. This isn't a red-flag warning, it's the loudest of alarm bells.

This isn't merely simplistic "Policy by sound-bite", but a cynical, calculated misinformation campaign: nothing will be delivered as expected.